Zachary Sluser

Filmmaker Zachary Sluser’s debut feature film “The Driftless Area”, based on the novel by Tom Drury, tells the story of bartender Pierre (Anton Yelkin - Star Trek, Onlt Lovers Left Alive) who returns home to the small Midwest town of his birth after the death of his parents. It is an existential homecoming for Pierre whose mind is filled with memories and imaginings of his past while faced with the real world chaos around him caused by the crime capers of local criminal Shane (John Hawkes- American Gangster, Lincoln). While struggling against the negative space of the “The Driftless Area” and Shane’s antics, Pierre meets the luminous and mysterious Stella (Zooey Deschanel – Elf, 500 Days of Summer) and a weird magical love story evolves.

In a recent interview with Zachary Sluser, here is what he had to say about the making of "The Driftless Area".

VM: How did you come across the book and decide you wanted to turn it into a film?

ZACH: I read Tom Drury’s first novel and was immediately drawn to his very spare prose and its Midwestern characters. I found he had very matter of fact dry humor that I really responded to. When I saw he had all that in his new novel, which was more mysterious and ethereal, called “The Driftless Area,” I knew immediately as I was reading it that it spoke to so many things inside of me. The questions it raised about fate, destiny, time and reincarnation; the fact that it deals with all these themes in a very dry matter of fact tone, and not in a pretentious manner, spoke to me and made me laugh. I read it twice in two days and then wrote him a cold email. We met soon after he was coming back from a book tour and I said, “this has to be a film and it has to be me to direct it.” Luckily, he was open to that and we collaborated on the script together. I also made a short film based on one of his New Yorker short stories called “Path Lights.” That’s when we met John Hawkes, who was instrumental to this feature.

VM: Did you do the short to get ready for the feature with Drury?

ZACH: I’d made other short features and taken them to festivals, but when Tom shared “Path Lights” with me it seemed like a great opportunity to showcase what Tom Drury and Zachary Sluser as collaboration would be. Serendipitously I was connected to John Hawkes through that movie, and if I could continue working with John through the rest of my career I would be very lucky.

VM: John Hawkes is great to work with?

ZACH: He’s not only one of our finest character actors but he’s also one of the kindest and most honest people in Los Angeles, and anywhere really. He was instrumental to getting the rest of the cast together with me, and showing that they could trust a first time director. I owe John everything.

VM: Would you consider this movie to be magical realism?

ZACH: Sure. There’s a number of genres at play here and not any one of them on their own are spot on with the movie. Yes, there is magical realism but it’s not a wide-eyed fantasy; it’s a very winking kind of magical realism. Humor is very much the tone not a normal fantasy. It also has elements of noir, crime, romance and drama.

VM: It has that Mid-American empty mood that something is missing and has gone wrong or some kind of obsession with controlling the natural environment that can’t be controlled. Was that intended?

ZACH: Yeah, there are many things gone wrong and many people trying to have them align with their own interests if the universe would let them.

VM: Can you tell us what it was like to work with Zooey and Anton?

ZACH: Anton was my first choice for that role and luckily he responded to the script. He was wonderful to work and he’s a very deep thinker. We’d spent hours asking different questions both about Pierre and his background and the themes that the book brings up. Anton would buy books on quantum physics and was reading some very heady stuff. But Anton is also a very silly and playful person as well, and has that balance. He’s a very hard worker and a very sweet and sincere person, which shows in his work. The moment I met with Zooey, I could tell she had the right kind of inquisitiveness to take on the role. She was excited to try something different than the TV show she’s been doing recently and get back to the indie films she was making at the beginning of her career. I was excited to introduce her new audience and remind her old audience the versatile performer that she is. I think she turned this into nuanced and soulful work in the role and still quite funny as well. She’s very naturally stunning.

VM: Do you have any memorable moments during filming that you can share from the shoot?

ZACH: When we were shooting all the scenes near the end of the movie in the orchard, a torrential rainstorm happened. Our walkie-talkies went dead and we were caked in mud. We only got through 1/3rd of what we needed to that night. It was very difficult conditions but we just kind of embraced the conditions and said, “Well, at least it’s going to look good.” The actors were very patient. When we came back the next night we had to cover a lot of ground. My DP Daniel Voldheim, myself and our AD had to reformulate the game plan to make sure we could get everything we needed to in a very short amount of time so that was a big challenge. It was also very challenging to make British Columbia look like the upper Midwest. We spent a lot of time in pre-production finding the architecture because there’s not a lot of buildings there that show history and wear to them like they do in the US; all the brick buildings that have a lot of decay to them you don’t find in BC. The shed, the brick buildings, old wood, the trees, the landscape, finding all of these for the whole notion of the “Driftless Area”, which is a real place. When the glaciers in the last ice age flattened the rest of Midwest they kind of left this apocalyptic land like a time capsule so it’s still rough and it’s got these rolling hills, rock bluffs and highlands. In BC, we had to find a topography that wasn’t totally flat but not very mountainous so we really spent a lot of time on that. The crews there are wonderful though, so we lucked out with a great crew but it took some time to find the look.

VM: And you shot there to use the tax credit scheme?

ZACH: Yes, there’s an incredible opportunity with the tax incentive in BC.

VM: Your film recently opened the Aruba International Film Festival. How was that?

ZACH: Awesome! The movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. To then bring the festival to Aruba was a lot of fun. The audience was very receptive and warm. People were so friendly and it was exciting to show the film to a Caribbean audience.

VM: What are you working on next?

ZACH: I’m writing some new things and certainly planning to work with John Hawkes again. We got such a spectacular cast on “The Driftless Area” that I feel very humbled as a first time director. I worked with some veteran and deeply talented actors so I would work with any of them again. I’m looking forward to working with John Hawkes in everything I do, if he’ll let me. So, we’ll see.

*The film has been bought by Sony Pictures and will be released early in 2016. 

-Interview by Vanessa McMahon

The selfie started out as an internet phenomenon, but now there’s no denying how much of a mainstream trend it has become. You can’t go five seconds without seeing some form of selfie online or on social media, and you’re definitely lying if you say you’ve never snapped one yourself! The selfie revolution has even reached the dizzying heights of Hollywood, where some of the most famous stars from the big screen are eager to try it out for themselves. Below we’ve selected a list of our favourite movie star selfies that would look great if you wanted to add them to a canvas in your home.

Tom Hanks and Steve Martin

The 2013 Governors Awards played host to many of the biggest names in Hollywood, but for iconic comedian Steve Martin it was a memorable night indeed. He received an honorary Oscar for his work over the years, and it was presented to him by Tom Hanks, who thanked him for creating movies that were “both of his time and are timeless”. Tom wasn’t finished there, however, as he got his phone out so that the pair could have a quick selfie before leaving the stage. The image of the two lovable actors on a canvas print would be a must-own for any avid fan of the pair.

Darth Vader

The newest Star Wars film might only have just been released, but the legendary Darth Vader was getting in on some selfie action way before all of that. In 2013 the Star Wars Instagram account showed off Darth Vader taking a selfie in front of some defeated Rebel troops. Even this Sith Lord can’t resist a well-timed selfie, no matter the occasion! Any self-respecting Star Wars fan could do with having this image hanging in their home.

Ellen DeGeneres and friends

The so called “most famous selfie in the world”. One of the most memorable things to come from the Oscars 2014 was this picture, which went viral almost immediately and generated more than 3 million retweets in a short space of time. Included in the unforgettable image were stars such as Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey and more, making it the most star-studded selfie of all time. If there was ever a picture to prove that the selfie was now a global sensation then this is it. Having this image printed on a canvas and showing it off in the home would be fantastic for Hollywood fans all over the world.

The members of the Berlinale Shorts International Jury are three filmmakers and artists whose works are committed to the short film format. The Jury will award the Golden and the Silver Bear, as well as the Audi Short Film Award. It will also nominate a short film for the European Film Awards in the category Best Short Film. The prize winners of 2016 will be chosen by Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi (curator, director of the Sharjah Art Foundation), Katerina Gregos (curator, art historian) and Avi Mograbi (filmmaker).

Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi (Sharjah, United Arab Emirates)

Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi is president and director of the Sharjah Art Foundation and curator of the Sharjah Biennial. Her posts include being on the Board of Directors of MoMA PS1 in New York, and of the KW Institute for Contemporary Art in Berlin. In 2012 she was on the selection committee of the 7^th Berlin Biennale. Al-Qasimi curated the United Arab Emirates Pavilion at the 56^th Venice Biennale in 2015. Furthermore, she works as an artist and lecturer and is currently Scholar in Residence at The Institute for Comparative Modernities (ICM) at Cornell University.

Katerina Gregos (Greece)

Katerina Gregos is a curator, writer and lecturer. She has curated, for instance, the Belgian Pavilion at the 56^th Venice Biennale, and the 5^th Thessaloniki Biennial: “Between the Pessimism of the Spirit and the Optimism of the Will” (both 2015); “The Politics of Play” for the 7^th Göteborg Biennial (2013); “Newtopia: The State of Human Rights” in Mechelen and Brussels, as well as the Manifesta 9 (all 2012); “Speech Matters” for the Danish Pavilion at the 54^th Venice Biennale, and the 4^th Fotofestival Mannheim-Ludwigshafen-Heidelberg (both 2011); Contour: the 4^th Biennial of Moving Image, Belgium (2009). Prior to that Gregos was artistic director of Argos Centre for Art and Media in Brussels.

Avi Mograbi (Israel)

Avi Mograbi works as a filmmaker, video artist and lecturer. His films have been presented at numerous festivals. Mograbi’s previous Berlinale films comprise At the Back/The Details (Forum Expanded 2012), Detail (Forum 2004) and August (Forum 2002); he presented Avenge But One of My Two Eyes at Cannes Film Festival (Out of Competition, 2005). The Berlin Akademie der Künste conferred him with the Konrad Wolf Prize for Outstanding Artistic Achievement in 2009. In 2011 he was invited to participate in the DAAD Berlin Artists-in-Residence programme. Mograbi studied Art and Philosophy in Tel Aviv and at the Hamidrasha School of Art.

David Bernahl -  Pebble Beach/LA Food & wine Maureen Ford - Live Nation,  Robert Richards - Glastonbury, Bruno Chatelin - Filmfestivals.com

David Bernahl -  Pebble Beach/LA Food & wine Maureen Ford - Live Nation,  Robert Richards - Glastonbury, Bruno Chatelin - Filmfestivals.com

FESTforward 2015 Nov 21-24 conference Santa Barbara California. Festival Industry Conference The Future of Festivals moderated by

Robert Richards of Glastonbury Festival and notable speakers. From music festival to food & wine festivals there are cornerstones which

must always be considered including partnerships, great programming and engaging the community. Some stories are so magical and exciting

to hear they are too good to only be heard once. Bruno Chatelin of Filmfestivals.com recounts his experience at Cannes film festival as head

of marketing for Sony while working on the now iconic film Boyz in the Hood. What began as a student film project would take the film world

by storm, steal the hearts of the public, and foremost for the boys from deep streets of LA create change and awareness of the hard reality of urban gangs.

From community engagement, stories with heart and social responsibility festivals of all genres are evolving to the ever-changing eco-social climate for

future filmmakers and their peer audience.

article by Laurie Gordon

Ridley Scott to Present “The Martian” Star his Award in Palm Springs

Palm Springs, CA– The 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) will present Matt Damon with the Chairman’s Award at its annual Awards Gala.  This year’s Awards Gala will be hosted by Mary Hart on Saturday, January 2 at the Palm Springs Convention Center.  The Festival runs January 1-11.

“Since his breakthrough role in Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon has taken on a series of challenging roles through his career,” said Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “In his latest film, The Martian, Damon dazzles yet again as Mark Watney, an astronaut desperately trying to survive on Mars, yet still finding a way to laugh and bring hope to an impossible situation.  It is an honor to present Matt Damon with the 2016 Chairman’s Award.”

The Martian director, Ridley Scott, will present Matt Damon with his award.

Past recipients of the Chairman’s Award include Ben Affleck, George Clooney, Richard Gere, Tom Hanks, Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon.

In The Martian, a manned mission to Mars is aborted and astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm.  Left behind by his crew, however, Watney has improbably survived and must draw upon his ingenuity and spirit to subsist and find a way to send a signal back to Earth. Once aware that he is alive, NASA works to overcome the challenges of both physics and public relations, enlisting his crewmates in a daring if not impossible rescue mission. Directed by Ridley Scott from the best-selling novel by Andy Weir, The Martian features a star-studded cast including Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Donald Glover, Mackenzie Davis and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Matt Damon has been honored for his work on both sides of the camera. For his role in The Martian, he recently received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor - Musical or Comedy and a Best Actor honor from the National Board of Review. Previously he received an Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award and SAG® and BAFTA® nominations for his performance in Stephen Soderbergh’s Behind the Candelabra. Damon also earned numerous nominations, including for an Academy Award® and Golden Globe, for his portrayal of South African rugby hero Francois Pienaar in Invictus, as well as a Golden Globe nomination for his starring role in Steven Soderbergh’s The Informant! Damon won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay and received a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his breakthrough feature Good Will Hunting.

His other film credits include Monuments Men, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, the Ocean’s Eleven trilogy films, Elysium, Promised Land, We Bought a Zoo, True Grit, The Adjustment Bureau, Happy Feet 2, Contagion, Hereafter, Green Zone, The Departed, The Good Shepherd,Syriana, Mystic Pizza, School Ties, Geronimo: An American Legend, The Good Old Boys, Courage Under Fire, The Rainmaker, Saving Private Ryan, Rounders, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Dogma, The Legend of Bagger Vance, All the Pretty Horses and The Brothers Grimm.

The Gala will also present awards to previously announced honorees Cate Blanchett, Johnny Depp, Michael Fassbender, Brie Larson, Rooney Mara, Tom McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan and Alicia Vikander.

About The Palm Springs International Film Festival

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees last year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries.  The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who, in recent years, have included Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Julianne Moore, Brad Pitt, Eddie Redmayne, Julia Roberts, David O. Russell, Meryl Streep, and Reese Witherspoon.

For more information, visit www.psfilmfest.org.

-Official PSIFF Press Release-

-Edited by Vanessa McMahon-

Writersandfilmmakers.com is introducing usefull services for filmmakers! We call it the “Exchange” and it should be live in about a week!
 

1. List props you need for your next film!

2. List your past or current films and posters for marketing purposes.

3. Audience members can lend props, time, locations etc by describing them and/or taking a photo of the item.

Oh, and it’s free, free free!

Let us know how you think we can improve this idea. We think there are plenty of people who can lend free items to an indie film production (well, maybe not in LA). They are easy to spot, they stand in long lines to see movies at festivals.

TARANTINO’S “THE HATEFUL EIGHT” DOMINATES CAPRI HOLLYWOOD WITH FOUR AWARDS: BEST MOVIE, BEST ACTOR SAM L. JACKSON, BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS JENNIFER JASON LEIGH AND BEST SCORE (ENNIO MORRICONE).

THREE AWARDS GO TO “BEASTS OF NO NATION” INCLUDING BEST DIRECTOR FUKUNAGA AND SUPPORTING ACTOR ELBA. TWO CAPRI AWARDS TO "CAROL"

Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” has dominated the 20th edition of Capri, Hollywood - The International FIlm Festival, which closes today:  Apart from acknowledging the film as ‘Best Movie,’ the festival assigned awards to Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh - two of the actors from the extraordinary cast of genius-like Italian-American director’s eighth work – and to the music score composed by Ennio Morricone. This was announced by Lina Wertmuller, Honorary President of the Festival as well as Pascal Vicedomini, Secretary General of the Institute Capri In The World, whose prestigious board includes such excellent names as Oscar recipients Bille August, Bobby Moresco, Gianni Quaranta, Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, film producers Aurelio De Laurentiis, Fulvio Lucisano and Marina Cicogna, Franco Nero, Andrea Purgatori, Mimmo Calopresti, Tony Renis and Israeli singer Noa.

Samuel L. Jackson  and Jennifer Jason  Leigh are – respectively – the festival’s Best Leading Actor and Best Supporting Actress, for their roles in “The Hateful Eight”, (due out in Italian theatres on February 4 through 01 Distribution), a film produced by Bob & Harvey Weinstein, and distributed in Italy by Leone Group’s Andrea and Raffaella Leone, who were awarded as Capri’s 'Producers of the Year'.

Here is a detailed list of the assigned awards:  Cary Fukunaga is the Best Director for acclaimed “Beasts of No Nation.” He also deserved the Best Cinematography Award whereas performer Idris Elba won as Best Supporting Actor. The film about African children soldiers was produced and distributed by the Netflix platform.

Brie Larson (“Room”) is the festival’s Best Leading Actress. The Best Original Screenplay Award goes to David O. Russel’s “Joy”, which in Capri, Hollywood enjoyed its European premiere.

Todd Haynes’ “Carol” was awarded as Best Adapted Screenplay, written by Phyllis Nagy, and for the Best Production Design by Judy Becker.  Kenneth Branagh’s “Cinderella” received an award for its costumes created by three-time Oscar-winning designer Sandy Powell, who was also assigned the Legend Award and who in Capri exhibited the attires that she created for “Carol.” Pietro Scalia is the festival’s Best Editor for “The Martian.” Apart from acknowledging Ennio Morricone’s music score for “The Hateful Eight”, also “See You Again” - the song by Wiz Khalifa ft Charlie Puth, from “Fast and Furious 7” – won as Best Original Song. 

The Best Animation Movie is “Inside Out”; The Best Documentary is Paolo Ruffini’s “Resilienza”, the Best Foreign Movie is “Labyrinth of Lies”  by  Giulio Ricciarelli, a filmmaker of Italian origin and German adoption, running for the Oscar and included in the Academy’s Short List. Enrico Iannaccone was elected by the festival as “Director of the Future” for “La Buona Uscita.”

The prestigious 'Legend award' went to Irish film director Jim Sheridan. Belgian performer Matthias Schoenaerts was awarded as“Revelation of the Year” for Hooper’s “The Danish Girl”. Oscar-winning screenwriter Bobby Moresco (“Crash”) – who in Capri announced his commitment to the Ambi Film-produced movie about Lamborghini – is the 2016 Italian-American Icon.

Other celebrities awarded in Capri include Italian filmmakers Giuseppe M. Gaudino, Guido Chiesa, Marco Ponti, Massimiliano Bruno, Riccardo Milani; Actors Paola Cortellesi (Capri Award as Italian Actress of the Year); Alessandro Cremona (Exploit Award for “007-Spectre”); Alessandro Siani (Tv Sorrisi e Canzoni’s Special Telegatto for the 2015 Best Box Office Gross “Si accettano miracoli”) Francesco Pannofino, Giulia Elettra Gorietti,  Federico R. Rossi; And pianist Giovanni Allevi for music.

Capri, Hollywood - The International Film Festival–which over the course of a week, presented 80 films including premieres and special screenings, symposiums and music performances – is an event founded and produced by Pascal Vicedomini. The festival is supported by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities (D.G Cinema), the Campania Region (Department of Tourism and Cultural Heritage), Italian Trade Agency, as well as by the Towns of Capri and Anacapri, with the participation of Rainbow, Ambi Group, Mediaset and Rai.

www.caprihollywood.com

Palm Springs, CA – The 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) presented Bryan Cranston with the Spotlight Award, Actor at its annual Awards Gala. The Gala also presented awards to previously announced honorees Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Johnny Depp, Michael Fassbender, Brie Larson, Rooney Mara, Tom McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan and Alicia Vikander. The Awards Gala was hosted by Mary Hart on Saturday, January 2 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs January 1-11.

“Whether on film, television or Broadway, Bryan Cranston is an outstanding actor who delivers an extraordinary and memorable performance with each character he takes on,” said Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. “In Trumbo, Cranston brings his amazing talent to his portrayal of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. For this brilliant performance, worthy of the awards recognition it has been receiving, it is an honor to present Bryan Cranston with the 2016 Spotlight Award, Actor.”

Past recipients of the Spotlight Award include J.K. Simmons, Julia Roberts, Jessica Chastain, Amy Adams and Helen Hunt. All recipients received Academy Award® nominations in the year they were honored, with Simmons receiving the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Rooney Mara will receive the Spotlight Award, Actress at this year’s Awards Gala.

Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo’s acclaimed career comes to a crushing halt in the late 1940s when he and other Hollywood figures are blacklisted for their political beliefs. Directed by Jay Roach, Trumbo recounts how Dalton used words and wit to win two Academy Awards and expose the absurdity and injustice under the blacklist, which entangled everyone from gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren) to John Wayne, Kirk Douglas and Otto Preminger. The film also stars Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Louis C.K., David James Elliott, Elle Fanning, John Goodman, Diane Lane, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alan Tudyk and Mirren.

For his role in Trumbo, Cranston has received a Golden Globe nomination, two SAG Award nominations and two Critics’ Choice Movie Awards nominations. His film credits include Argo, Kung Fu Panda 3, Infiltrator,Godzilla, Total Recall, Rock of Ages, Drive, Contagion, Little Miss Sunshine, Seeing Other People, Saving Private Ryan and That Thing You Do!. Cranston has won four Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards for his portrayal of Walter White on AMC’s “Breaking Bad.” He will next star as President Lyndon B. Johnson  in the HBO film adaptation of All The Way for which he won a 2014 Tony Award. He is currently in production on the independent film Wakefield and will then begin production on John Hamburg's Why Himopposite James Franco.

About The Palm Springs International Film Festival

The Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 135,000 attendees last year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries.  The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the filmic year by a celebrated list of talents who, in recent years, have included Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Bradley Cooper, George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood, Tom Hanks, Matthew McConaughey, Julianne Moore, Brad Pitt, Eddie Redmayne, Julia Roberts, David O. Russell, Meryl Streep, and Reese Witherspoon. The presenting sponsor of the Awards Gala is BIGHORN and major sponsors are Entertainment Tonight and Mercedes-Benz.

For more information, visit www.psfilmfest.org.

-Official PSIFF Press Release-

-Edited by Vanessa McMahon-

Will Smith

Charlie Kaufman 

Photographer: Michael Buckner/Variety/REX Shutterstock

Honorees Will Smith (Concussion), Charlie Kaufman (Anamolisa) and some of the “10 Directors to Watch” including: Deniz Gamze Erguven (Mustang), Ciro Guerra (Embrace of the Serpent), Slavek Horak (Home Care), Duke Johnson (Anomalisa), Peter Landesman (Concussion),Laszlo Nemes (Son of Saul), Matt Ross (Captain Fantastic) and Elizabeth Wood (White Girl).

Other guests included: Jack Black, Michelle Sobrino (Variety), Claudia Eller (Variety), Steve Gaydos(Variety), Tim Gray (Variety), Darryl Macdonald (Festival Director), Helen du Toit (Artistic Director),Harold Matzner (Festival Chairman), Mary Bono (Honorary Festival Chairman) and many others.

Variety presented Will Smith with the Creative Impact in Acting Award, presented by Mercedes-Benz. Charlie Kaufman received the Variety Creative Impact in Directing Award presented by Mercedes-Benz. The awards celebrate the filmmaker and actors for their outstanding contributions to the art and business of cinema.

Additionally, Variety’s “10 Directors to Watch” series was presented, spotlighting the most exciting new talents in the fields of directing.

The event was presented by Mercedes-Benz and venue partner the Parker Palm Springs.

-Press Release edited by Vanessa McMahon-

The Board of Directors of the Denver Film Society (DFS) announced that Andrew Rodgers has been appointed executive director of the non-profit organization that annually presents the internationally acclaimed Denver Film Festival and provides year-round film programming and education at the Sie FilmCenter. Rodgers will assume his full-time duties in March after relocating from Winston-Salem, N.C., with his wife Iana Dontcheva, a filmmaker and professor, and their daughters Mia and Anya.

Rodgers was selected after a comprehensive national executive search guided by Arts Consulting Group that attracted more than 100 applicants from 22 states and Canada.

With a B.A. in Journalism from Eastern Illinois University, Rodgers began his professional career as a journalist with the Chicago Tribune and later worked as a publicist for the Sundance Film Festival in Salt Lake City and the Chicago International Film Festival. In 2013, he received his M.B.A. degree from Wake Forest University.

Since 2005, Rodgers has served as the executive director of the highly-successful RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem, N.C. Under his leadership, RiverRun grew from a small, struggling non-profit into a financially sound, nationally-recognized regional festival with annual income nearly 200 percent higher than upon his arrival. His fundraising and business management efforts attracted support from Fortune 500 companies, major foundations and government granting agencies and led to a doubling of the organization's revenue from individual contributions and programs.

Bob Clasen, chair of the search committee for DFS and chair-elect of the Society's board of directors explained that, "Andrew was far and above the most outstanding candidate we reviewed and interviewed. We were very impressed with his accomplishments in his current position, his reputation among film industry and festival peers and his vision for how the Denver Film Society and its programs could expand to impact even larger audiences. The board was unanimous in approving his appointment and we are excited to get him started here in Denver as soon as possible."

An accomplished filmmaker and director, Rodgers also has two documentary short films to his credit - "Crooked Candy" (2014) and "Dark Station," which will debut in 2016.  Rodgers came to Denver for the screening of "Crooked Candy" during the 2014 Denver Film Festival.  This was his second direct encounter with the Denver Film Society as he also served as a juror during the 2008 Starz Denver Film Festival. 

"I've known Andrew for a number of years and have followed his successful development as a respected industry leader and festival presenter," said Britta Erickson, Festival Director for the Denver Film Society. "His knowledge of film, his business acumen and his ability to attract support for film organizations will help us expand our reach even further."

Rodgers describes himself as both a strategic and operational leader, able to balance the two sides of himself - the creative and the business/management - in order to motivate and lead a board of directors and staff toward his vision of a larger and more impactful DFS. 

"For many years, I've been a fan of the Denver Film Society and the role it has played in nurturing emerging filmmakers and presenting groundbreaking new cinema," said Rodgers. "In particular, I've been very impressed by the way DFS has been able to use its festivals, events and facility to bring communities together. I am incredibly honored to have been selected to help lead the organization forward and work alongside the talented staff to find even more ways to use the cinematic experience to entertain, educate, provoke, persuade, move and motivate audiences."

For more information about the Denver Film Society visit www.denverfilm.org

 "Rampage 3: No Mercy" is now in production in British Columbia & Washington D.C.

Amidst his highly-praised venture into the fine dining scene by opening Bauhaus Restaurant, acclaimed director Uwe Boll has not put down the movie camera. Uwe is currently on location in beautiful British Colombia (Langley and Maple Ridge) and Washington, D.C. to film the anticipated Rampage 3: No Mercy during the first weeks in January. When complete, this film will mark the thrilling conclusion of the well-received Rampage series, an action-packed trilogy featuring domestic terrorist Bill Williamson (Brendan Fletcher, The Revenant). This time, Bill takes on Capitol Hill in the heart of Washington, D.C.

Following the success of Rampage and Rampage 2: Capital Punishment, Uwe Boll's dedicated production team, writers, and lead actor Brendan Fletcher are back for another action-packed sequel. Other producers include the local talents of Michael Pohorly and Uwe's wife Natalie Boll. Matthias Neumann, the German director of photography who has collaborated on almost all of Uwe's films, is also back to deliver the high production value you can expect from the Rampage trilogy.

This will be the last film Uwe Boll will direct for awhile due to his current focus on co-producing and global distribution with his company Event Film, which has acquired high-profile films such as King Cobra (James Franco, Alicia Silverstone, Molly Ringwald, Christian Slater).

In addition, as many of his fans know, Uwe's other passion is his newly opened and universally praised Bauhaus Restaurant located in the trendy Gastown district of Vancouver. Opened for less than a year, Bauhaus is already at the cutting edge of fine dining, delivering innovative techniques, fresh flavours, and exceptional service to downtown Vancouver. The menu, designed and prepared by world-renowned Michelin Star chef Stefan Hartmann, reflects a contemporary approach to traditional German cuisine and brings a new style of dining to Canada's west coast. To learn more, visit our website at www.bauhaus-restaurant.com. 

Lemmy (Left) and Lloyd Kaufman have been friends and collaborators for over 20 years

Lemmy Kilmister, King of the Cameo in Tromaville

The loss of Motörhead legend Lemmy Kilmister on December 28, 2015 had a significant impact at the Troma Films studio in Queens, NY. Lemmy had come to be known as a regular on Troma movie sets for twenty years. It would be an understatement to say that Lemmy truly understood Troma's artistic intentions and his collaboration and support bolstered the cinema experience for creators and audiences alike. A longtime friend of Lloyd Kaufman, prexy of Troma Entertainment and creator of, "The Toxic Avenger", Lemmy Kilmister has been a featured celebrity cameo in Troma productions as well as a generous musical contributor. Upon hearing the news of Lemmy's passing, Kaufman said;

"Although Lemmy was one of the greatest rock-n-roll pioneers in history, with an enormous following, Lemmy was always a supporter of the genuine artist and the underdog. On a personal level he always made time to generously appear in Troma movies, no matter how deep in the underground. The Troma Team and I have very few sincere friends in the mainstream so to lose Lemmy makes us all especially sad. He was a super shit-disturber and was a great role model for all us shit-disturbers."

Lemmy Kilmister on the set of 1999 Troma tragedy, "Tromeo and Juliet"

In 2013, Lloyd Kaufman produced a heartfelt Tribute to Lemmy, available on the Troma Movies YouTube channel. 

First appearing as the narrator in the 1997 Shakespearian inspired NYC tragedy, "Tromeo and Juliet", Lemmy's powerful performance made a lasting impression on the final film and he was from that moment on one of the most highly anticipated cameos in Troma works. In 1999 Lemmy played the role of a news interviewer in, "Terror Firmer", a Tromaville citizen in the 2001 sequel to "The Toxic Avenger", "Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV"  as well as the President of the United States in, "Return to Nuke 'Em High: Volume 1", famously posting orders that, "Taco Tuesday will be a hit!". Lemmy will appear once again in, "Return Nuke 'Em High: Volume 2" (scheduled release 2016) in his untimely Tromatic coup-de-grace. 

Lloyd Kaufman has always described Lemmy fondly, stating, "Lemmy has put his reputation on the line over and over again in th cause of independent art." He was a man who never asked for any money for his appearances, only for a bttle of Jack Daniels or Maker's Mark and two Tromettes to talk to during the long and boring hours waiting on set to shoot. In another quote, Kaufman said,

"He is one of the coolest guys in the world and how cool is it for the Troma Team to be supported by a guy who doesn't need anything from Troma, that's for sure."

In the 2008 forward by the metal-god for Lloyd Kaufman's book, Direct Your Own Goddamn Movie, Lemmy writes about Lloyd, 

"So here I am writing the short sidebar for Lloyd "woops-a-daisy" Kaufman who is a fine, upstanding loony, as everybody knows! I have been in some of his movies over these many years and I have always had a great time doing them. However, I always had only a v. sketchy idea of the plot, except for "Tromeo", because I cheated and read the Shakespeare version. All in all, I think Lloyd's updated scenario worked better!

I will always respect Lloyd Kaufman. God knows, he hasn't chosen an easy row to hoe(!) but his persistence struck a chord in me (as another annoying bastard who refuses to go away!) and good luck to all who sail in him."

-Love, Lemmy. London, July, 2008. 

As a musical contributor, Lemmy and Motörhead first generously gave their song, "Sacrifice" to the soundtrack of "Tromeo and Juliet" and in 2010 again gave a song, titled, "Outaw", to be featured in to 2010 Troma film,"Mr. Bricks". "Mr. Bricks" was a tooted by Lemmy as, "a maniancal metal ride from start to finish, a truly innovative musical that fires on all headbanging cylinders."

Lemmy will be missed profoundly by Lloyd Kaufman and his team at Troma Entertainment, who warmly recall his words from a radio interview in 1999, shortly after shooting "Terror Firmer". When asked what it was like to be immortalized in film, Lemmy famously replied,

"Immortalized is one thing, Troma is another. I don't know if they're going to last"

Hail Lemmy Kilmister! 

London based production and international sales company Evolutionary Films are delighted to announce that JOHN RHYS-DAVIES (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0722636/), star of the LORD OF THE RINGS and INDIANA JONES trilogies has joined the team of our exciting new action horror feature film AUX which begins principal photography on 13th January 2016 as an Executive Producer and to play the central character of “Jack”.  

Mr. Rhys-Davies is a multi-award winning actor with hundreds of film and TV credits to his name, and has starred in everything from James Bond films like THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS, to international hit TV shows including ONCE UPON A TIME and STAR TREK: VOYAGER.

CEO of Evolutionary Films and Director of AUX, John Adams, said, “I am absolutely delighted that John has agreed to join this project and look forward immensely to working with him. John brings so much experience and talent to the film and it is an honour to have him playing such an integral role.”

AUX is a gruesome action horror, which begins when two young boys discover the entrance to a secret military bunker that has been undetected since World War II. What they find inside terrifies them so much that one boy doesn’t make it out of the bunker and the other flees for his life only to be hit by a car.  A police investigation is initiated but one by one the police and forensic officers are killed in grotesque and mysterious ways. Meanwhile in a local nursing home, Jack, a WWII veteran, sees these events unfolding on the news and thinks he knows what is going on…

Diane Shorthouse, Producer of AUX said, “John brings a depth of character to the part and a wealth of knowledge as an Exec Producer, I’m looking forward to a great collaboration”

Biography for JOHN RHYS-DAVIES:

Acclaimed Welsh actor John Rhys-Davies was born in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales, to Mary Margaretta Phyllis (Jones), a nurse, and Rhys Davies, a mechanical engineer and Colonial Officer. He graduated from the University of East Anglia and is probably best known to film audiences for his roles in the blockbuster hits Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989). Rhys-Davies was introduced to a new generation of fans in the blockbuster trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), and (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)) in the role of Gimli the dwarf. He has also had leading roles in Victor Victoria (1982), The Living Daylights (1987) and King Solomon's Mines (1985).

Rhys-Davies, who was raised in England, Africa and Wales, credits his early exposure to classic literature for his decision to pursue acting and writing. he later refined his craft at London's renowned Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. His television credits include James Clavell's Shogun (1980) and Noble House (1988), Great Expectations (1989), War and Remembrance (1988) and Archaeology (1991).

He has a host of theater roles to his credit, including "The Misanthrope", "Hedda Gabler" and most of Shakespeare's works, and he divides his time between Los Angeles and the Isle of Man.

About EVOLUTIONARY FILMS:

Evolutionary Films is a vertically integrated production and international sales company based at 3 Mills Studios in London.

The company is actively engaged in co-production on a number of high quality film and television projects, and has a slate of in-house features in various stages of development and production which are financed internally.

As well as handling international sales for its own projects, Evolutionary Films also represents a strong catalogue of completed titles under licence from other producers, and attends all the major film markets around the world including Berlin, Cannes, Toronto and Los Angeles.

The team behind Evolutionary Films has produced numerous award winning titles and has a strong track record in delivering commercial, quality feature films and television shows to worldwide audiences.

Directed by Fina Torres (Woman On Top, Cannes winner Oriana), the film stars newcomer Eloísa Maturén (upcoming star of a major TV series in Venezuela produced by Venevision) opposite Patricia Velasquez and Mimi Lazo. LIZ IN SEPTEMBER is screening at the Palm Springs International Film Festival from January 1-11, 2016. http://www.psfilmfest.org/

Patricia Velasquez (The Mummy franchise, Arrested Development, The L Word) stars in the feature LIZ IN SEPTEMBER (2015), an adaptation of the play 'Last Summer at Bluefish Cove', about a terminally ill womanizing lesbian celebrating her last birthday on a Caribbean beach. Liz has cancer and seeks to live her last days to the fullest with her friends and new love interest. The Spanish-language romance-drama is entirely shot on the stunning beaches of Venezuela tackling such topical human issues as homosexuality, cancer and euthanasia. An actress, Latino activist, international supermodel and author having published her 2015 memoir 'Straight Talk', Patricia plays 'Liz' with riveting and bare integrity.

In a recent interview with director Fina Torres, here is what she had to say:

Can you tell us what it was like to adapt the play into your film?

FINA: I was living in LA in 2003 when we planned, with Judy Miller, the producer who had the rights of the play, to make the film in the US. We were going to do it as a period movie, the 80s, and close to the play, but it was not easy in that moment to complete the financing. Lesbian films were not as popular as they can be now, so we had to let it go. But the opportunity came back in 2011. I was working with Patricia Velasquez in another project when she invited me to Ivana Chubbuck’s Masters Class. Patricia was working on a scene from Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. It was like a sign. A light went on in my head: I had already the financing to make a movie in Venezuela, so why couldn't we make it in Spanish and shoot there? I asked Judy if she would be interested to make the film this way, as a Venezuelan movie. Not only she said yes, she co-produced it with me. That’s how this story began.

You used incentives for filming in Venezuela?

FINA: Yes, there is a State institution in Venezuela CNAC that finances Independent movies. This institution has produced I would say like 90% of Venezuelan films since it begun in the 80s . Before 2005 the production was irregular in the number of films per year, but that year a fantastic cinema law was voted in congress where taxes applied to all media business were directed to this institution to finance film production. It was amazing to see how regular and good Venezuelan filmmaking became. We have films awarded in very important festivals and events in the past four years.

How was it to work with Patricia in this role? Was it difficult for her?

FINA: Patricia is very committed to her work, and with an amazing energy. And as I said before, she was at the start of the project. She was very inspiring for the film and very pro-active and helpful. I used parts of her biography to enrich Liz character. As you know, she came out in a book called 'Straight Talk' almost at the same time the movie opened. We had planned to open them together but the book took longer and we couldn’t wait. So, no, it was not difficult for her at all. At the contrary.

Were there any challenges while making the film?

FINA: Many. It was a bumpy process. I can recall one of the most difficult one: We chose to start the shooting in March because it's the dry season in Venezuela, but there was a weather phenomenon, el Niño or la Niña, or someone of that family, and we had so much rain! We were shooting on small islands but living inland, so everyday we had to take boats to take us to the locations. 45 minutes to go and the same to come back. With rain, storms, and shooting mostly i exteriors. It was very tough. We had to stop several times for weeks. This made it seem like a long long process.

How long was the filming?

FINA: We started in March and finished in September but we really shot it in thirteen weeks in total spaced around those months.

How is Venezuela on the homosexual issue and how has the local audience responded to the film?

FINA: Venezuela is a subtle homophobic country. Everyone seems to be OK about it but really deep inside it's still not accepted in a healthy way. And I feel people disagree even more with female homosexuality than with men's. Maybe because of the media were lesbians have not been as popular and common as gay characters. Maybe it’s also that reason that made my film a bit disturbing, not only it shows gay women in a very natural and beautiful way but also goes into the issue of euthanasia which is very uncomfortable to many. Medical science has evolved so much that we keep alive people who are terminal, with absolutely no hope of recovery, who would like to rest, and be freed of pain, and we force them to continue in their terrible suffering. I agree to accept a miserable quality of life if you know you will heal sooner or later, but to suffer against your will when you know you are going to die, is to me unacceptable. But that choice makes some people uncomfortable. Ethics, religion, etc.

The film was released on DVD & VOD on November 3rd, 2015 via Wolfe Video.

DIRECTOR: Fina Torres 
Producer: Matt Cooper, Judy Miller, Laura Oramas
Editor: Aleshka Ferrero
Screenwriter: Fina Torres
Cinematographer: Celiana Cárdenas
Music: Oleg “Heinali” Shpudeiko, Javier Blanco, Ulises Hadjis, Sharon Smith 
Principal Cast: Patricia Velasquez, Eloisa Maturen, Mimi Lazo, Arlette Torres, Danay Garcia
Filmography: Habana Eva (2010), Woman on Top (2000), Oriana (1985)
Print Source: Wolfe Releasing

Interview by Vanessa McMahon

View trailer here: 

The Revenant discussion with writer-director-producer Alejandro González Iñárritu, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, writer Mark L. Smith, supervising sound editor Randy Thom, visual effects supervisor Richard McBride and costume designer Jacqueline West.

For the 14th edition, Berlinale Talents welcomes 300 emerging film and drama series professionals from 79 countries. The Talents take part in a six-day programme featuring over 100 events, with many open to the public. Berlinale Jury President Meryl Streep has confirmed her attendance. The three-time Academy Award winner will be one of around 150 internationally renowned experts holding masterclasses and workshops.Berlinale Talents takes place at the HAU Hebbel am Ufer, February 13 - 18, 2016.

Appointed by an international selection committee on the basis of prior achievements, resonance and relevance of the work as well as exceptional promise, the 300 Talents were chosen from a group of 2,761 applicants from 137 countries. The 2016 group is comprised of professionals from the fields of directing (132), producing (63), acting (17), screenwriting (10), cinematography (20), editing (15), production design (12), film criticism (8), sales and distribution (9), sound design (6), and score composing (8). Among the 300 Talents, 40 participants with projects in development have been selected for the Project Labs in the categories documentary, fiction, short film and web series.

Festival Director Dieter Kosslick is enthusiastic about the Talents. “These 300 young film creatives aspire to be the best in their fields. 58 filmmakers have already been involved in films at previous Berlinale editions. Berlinale Talents is the ideal platform to support new talent. It is an honor that the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Monika Grütters, has committed to substantial financial support to this successful initiative in 2016.”

The great variety of personal and professional backgrounds and accomplishments is one of the characteristics of the Talents. The 2016 group exhibits a multiplicity of perspectives as seen in the Talents’ documental or fictional storytelling, from the point of view of filmmakers in queer and experimental cinema as well as those from ethnic minorities and indigenous backgrounds. In addition, many are innovators exploring novel techniques and distribution models for film and drama series, or practitioners pioneering interdisciplinary working, which resonates with the motto for 2016, “The Nature of Relations”. Berlinale Talents is proud that in an industry, in many ways still male dominated, nearly half of the 300 Talents are once again women.

More Information: The 300 Talents | The 40 Accepted Film Projects
Berlinale Talents: www.berlinale-talents.de

Berlinale Talents is an initiative of the Berlin International Film Festival, a business division of the Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH, funded by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, in cooperation with Creative Europe MEDIA, a programme of the European Union, Robert Bosch Stiftung and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

Adding to the excitement of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival’s onscreen films and episodic programming, Sundance Institute announced today the lineup for its offscreen panels, which will feature renowned artists and experts in conversation. This year’s panels will address topics including the relationship between media technology and storytelling, film aesthetics and the use of celluloid, music design, casting, and environmentalism. The Festival will again host the Art of Film Weekend, celebrating the craft of filmmaking January 28-30. Many panels and other offscreen programming will take place at a new venue: Festival Base Camp, Presented by Canada Goose.
 
The Festival’s panels programming is anchored by its longstanding Power of Story series, which this year will feature conversations with John Underkoffler, John Gaeta, Lynette Wallworth, Reggie Watts, Christopher Nolan, Colin Trevorrow and Alex Ross Perry. Other noteworthy conversations at the Festival include the Cinema Café daily series, programmed in collaboration with The New York Times' TimesTalks and featuring informal chats with guests including Norman Lear, Lena Dunham, Chelsea Handler, Morgan Spurlock, Werner Herzog, Joshua Oppenheimer, Rebecca Hall, Michael Shannon, Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson and more. The Power of Story and Cinema Café panels will be live streamed at sundance.org/festival.
 
The Festival’s Art of Film Weekend (January 28-30) returns to highlight the unique roles and creative inspirations of those who bring stories to life on screen. Featured speakers and topics include a conversation with D A Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, a discussion with virtual reality pioneers Saschka Unseld, Jessica Brillhart, Eric Darnell and Yelena Rachitsky, Randall Poster on music supervision, a conversation with Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, and a discussion on casting with accomplished casting agents Richard Hicks, Jessica Daniels, Jessica Kelly and Stephanie Holbrook.
 
New venue Festival Base Camp will host a range of panels, including How to Save the World featuring Louie Psihoyos (The Cove, Racing Extinction) and Josh Fox (Gasland, How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change), a live recording of the SongExploder podcast with KT Tunstall and other offscreen programming as well as surprise guests and daily music performances. Additionally, artist Chris Milk’s The Treachery of Sanctuary will be on display at Festival Base Camp as part of the 10th anniversary of New Frontier.
 
John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said, “Our offscreen lineup offers Festival-goers the opportunity to participate in interesting conversations about culture and creativity, concluding with our Art of Film Weekend that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the craft of filmmaking. By live streaming many conversations from the Festival, film fans across the country can experience the energy and excitement of a new year in independent film.”
 
For dates, times, locations and ticket information for offscreen events, including the free daily Cinema Café program, visit sundance.org/festival.
 
 
‘POWER OF STORY’ PANELS
Both Power of Story panels will be live streamed at sundance.org/festival.
 
Power of Story:  Evolution of Storytelling
Monday, January 25 at 2:30 p.m. MST
Egyptian Theatre
 
While story is how we understand ourselves, our society and the world around us, it doesn't exist until it’s shared through the mediums we use to communicate – our communication architecture. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of our New Frontier Program, join a group of remarkable minds – storytellers and creative technologists – for a workshop that explores imagination, innovation and the deeply intertwined worlds of technology and storytelling. Led by John Underkoffler (Minority Report, Iron Man, CEO, Oblong Industries), guests Nancy Bennett (CCO and Head of Virtual Reality,Two Bit Circus), John Gaeta (The Matrix Trilogy, Executive Creative Director, ILMxLAB), Kevin Slavin (MIT Media Lab), Lynette Wallworth (Collisions), Reggie Watts (Waves) give us a glimpse into the mind-blowing future of story.
 
Power of Story: The Art of Film
Thursday, January 28 at 2:30 p.m. MST
Egyptian Theatre
 
Kicking off Art of Film Weekend, in this celebration of celluloid, we look at film aesthetics, its intrinsic qualities and its appeal to filmmakers who have made the artistic choice to employ film as a shooting format. Since the birth of cinema, artists have found within a thin strip of celluloid film myriad forms of expression and a magical medium through which to tell stories. Join Christopher Nolan (Memento, Dark Knight series, Interstellar), Colin Trevorrow (Safety Not Guaranteed, Jurassic World), and moderator Alex Ross Perry (Listen Up Philip, Queen of Earth).
 
 
‘ART OF FILM’ WEEKEND
 
Friday, January 29
Cinema Café with D A Pennebaker&Chris Hegedus
11:30 a.m. MST
Filmmaker Lodge
 
Each morning at the Filmmaker Lodge, Cinema Café invigorates the culture of conversation with a daily series of informal chats featuring special guests for thought-provoking discussions. This edition of Cinema Cafe during the Art of Film weekend features a conversation with D A Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
 
Adapting Genres to Virtual Reality
1:30 p.m. MST
New Frontier Gateway
 
Close ups, fast cuts, and pacing were all initially accidents that became staples in conveying mood, tone, and story in film. In virtual reality, much of those tools are gone, and with that, our tools to shape genres are also changing. What have we learned so far in approaching story in virtual reality? Join us in an open discussion with virtual reality pioneers Saschka Unseld (creative director, Oculus Story Studio), Jessica Brillhart (principal filmmaker, VR at Google), Eric Darnell (CCO, Baobab, director, Madagascar) and Emilie Joly (CEO, Apelab). Moderated by Yelena Rachitsky (creative producer and Head of Education, Oculus Story Studio).
 
Art of Music Supervision: Show & Tell with Randall Poster  
2:00 p.m. MST
Filmmaker Lodge
 
Setting scenes to particular tunes and selecting artists for the soundtrack are crucial to contributing nuance, tone, and expression to a film. This is where an accomplished music supervisor like Randall Poster comes in. Poster works with filmmakers Wes Anderson, Todd Haynes, and Richard Linklater, to name a few. Through film clips and discussion, Poster will share what inspires him, how he collaborates with filmmakers, and how his craft of music supervision ultimately brings a film to new heights and deeper meaning. #SFFonMusic #ArtFilmWeekend
 
Song Exploder Live with KT Tunstall
3:00 p.m. MST
Festival Base Camp
Presented by Canada Goose
 
Art of Film Weekend welcomes the Song Exploder podcast where musicians take apart their songs, and piece by piece, tell the story of how they were made. Using the isolated, individual tracks from the recording, host Hrishikesh Hirway asks artists like U2, Björk, The National, Alexandre Desplat and KT Tunstall to delve into the specific decisions that went into creating their work. #SongExploder
 
Saturday, January 30
Cinema Café with Charlie Kaufman & Duke Johnson
11:30 a.m. MST                  
Filmmaker Lodge
 
This edition of Cinema Café during the Art of Film weekend features a conversation with Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson of Anomalisa.
 
Behind the Scenes: The Art of Casting              
2:00 p.m. MST
Filmmaker Lodge
 
Casting directors play a critical role to narrative filmmaking, but how well much do we understand about their craft? How do instinct and experience play into their decisions? How does their work generate fresh and meaningful characters? Richard Hicks (Gravity, Zero Dark Thirty) moderates a conversation with seasoned casting directors Jessica Daniels (Wiener-Dog, 30 Rock), Jessica Kelly (Precious, Obvious Child), Stephanie Holbrook (Christine, Equity) that will take us behind the scenes to illuminate the art and alchemy behind their process. #SFFonCasting #ArtFilmWeekend
 
 
ADDITIONAL OFFSCREEN PROGRAMMING
 
How to Save the World
Friday, January 22, 2:30 p.m. MST
Festival Base Camp
Presented by Canada Goose
 
It’s impossible to separate the history of environmentalism from the powerful images put forth by filmmakers in a collective body of work that has tackled wildlife conservation, climate change, environmental concerns and species extinction to name but a few. But can these voices empower a global community to take action before it’s too late? Join moderator Pat Mitchell (Chair of the Sundance Institute Board of Trustees), Beverly and Dereck Joubert (Reflections on Elephants, The Last Lions), Louie Psihoyos (The Cove, Racing Extinction), and Josh Fox (Gasland, How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change). #SFFGlobalAction
 
 
CINEMA CAFE
These panels will be live streamed at sundance.org/festival from the Filmmaker Lodge. Some Cinema Café discussions are programmed in collaboration with TimesTalks, streaming engaging discussions with Festival filmmakers and New York Times journalists.
 
Friday, January 22, 11:30 a.m. MST
Lena Dunham and Norman Lear (TimesTalks)
 
Saturday, January 23, 11:30 a.m. MST
Chelsea Handler and Morgan Spurlock(TimesTalks)
 
Sunday, January 24, 11:30 a.m. MST
John Krasinski and Thomas Middleditch (TimesTalks)
 
Monday, January 25, 11:30 a.m. MST
Werner Herzog and Joshua Oppenheimer (TimesTalks)
 
Tuesday, January 26, 11:30 a.m. MST
Rebecca Hall and Michael Shannon(TimesTalks)
 
Wednesday, January 27, 11:30 a.m. MST
TBA
 
Thursday, January 28, 11:30 a.m. MST
TBA
 
 
The Sundance Film Festival®
The Sundance Film Festival has introduced global audiences to some of the most groundbreaking films of the past three decades, including Boyhood, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Whiplash, Brooklyn, Twenty Feet from Stardom, Life Itself, The Cove, The End of the Tour, Blackfish, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Super Size Me, Dope, Little Miss Sunshine, sex, lies, and videotape, Reservoir Dogs, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, An Inconvenient Truth, Precious and Napoleon Dynamite. The New Frontier initiative, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2016, has showcased groundbreaking media works by artists and creative technologists including Chris Milk, Doug Aitken, Palmer Luckey, Klip Collective and Nonny de la Peña. The Festival is a program of the non-profit Sundance Institute®. 2016 Festival sponsors to date include: Presenting Sponsors – Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Acura, SundanceTV, Chase Sapphire Preferred®, and Canada Goose; Leadership Sponsors – Adobe, Airbnb, DIRECTV, Tequila Don Julio™, Samsung, and YouTube; Sustaining Sponsors – BROOKSIDE Chocolate, Canon U.S.A., Inc., Dropbox, GEICO, The Hollywood Reporter, Kickstarter, LUNA Bar/Clif Bar & Company, Omnicom, Stella Artois®, and Uber. Sundance Institute recognizes critical support from the Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, and the State of Utah as Festival Host State. The support of these organizations helps offset the Festival’s costs and sustain the Institute's year-round programs for independent artists. sundance.org/festival
 
Sundance Institute
Founded in 1981 by Robert Redford, Sundance Institute is a nonprofit organization that provides and preserves the space for artists in film, theatre, and new media to create and thrive. The Institute's signature Labs, granting, and mentorship programs, dedicated to developing new work, take place throughout the year in the U.S. and internationally. The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling. Sundance Institute has supported such projects as Beasts of the Southern Wild, Fruitvale Station, Sin Nombre, The Invisible War, The Square, Dirty Wars, Spring Awakening, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Fun Home. Join Sundance Institute on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
 

After being nominated for a BAFTA he received today at his home in Madrid the wonderful news that he has also been nominated for the Oscars for his work in The Danish Girl.

Spanish Paco Delgado has become an internationally recognized costumer, having been nominated for an Oscar and a BAFTA for his work in “Les Misérables” in 2013, and winning two Goya awards (the Spanish Oscars) in 2013 and 2014. He also was behind the designs for “Biutiful” in 2010 and “The Skin I Live In” in 2011.

The Danish Girl tells the story of Lili (Eddie Redmayne), one of the first known transgender women to transition, and her wife, Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander).

Directed by Tom Hooper, The Danish Girl has 4 nominations.

Eddie Redmayne has been nominated for his second consecutive best actor Oscar for The Danish Girl. He won last year for his performance as professsor Stephen Hawkins in The theory of everything.

Paco Delgado's sketch of Einar Wegener and Lili for “The Danish Girl.”